Propelling mechanism for vehicles.



I J. E. NOBLE. PROPELLING MECHANISM FOR VEHICLES.

APPLICATION FILED NOV-27.1912.

Patented July 10, 1917.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

JAY E. #TOBLE, OF SIN-CLAIRVILLE, NEW YORK.

" PROPELLING MECHANISM FOR VEHICLES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 10, 1917.

Application filed November 27, 1912. Serial No. 733,881,

T (11/ whom it may row-(m lie it known that L ,l.\\' l). Nonim, a cit-izen oi the United Hales. residing at Sim elairrille, in the eounly ol" Clhautaiupia, State of New York. ha Ye invented certain new and use'lul lllllll'l venients in lh-opelling Neehanisni tor Yehieles: and I do herel'iy deelare the Following to he a, full, elear, and exact description of tho inirentiou, such as will enahle others -shilled in the art.- to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to ii'uprovelnenls in propelling meehanisins tor \ehieles.

The principal ohjeot ot the. invention is to ro\ide a. propelling llllltlltllllhlll of novel eonstruelion which may he readily axi'laehed tothe spindles ol the. front and rear axles of a motor vehicle without (llallglllfl the construeti'mi of said rehiele to any extent.

Another ohjeel oi the invention is to provide a propelling meeha'nisin which will insure a greater traetire power than the ordinary vehicle wheel.

A further object of the intention is to pr0- vide a propelling mechanism of the eharaeter described whieh is composed of a 1ninimum nnn'iher of parts, is llwrelore simple in eonstruetion and is rheap to inanulaeture.

With these and other ohje ts in view, the. invention ronsiats in the (UllHtllHllUll and novel. combination ol parts hereinafter i'ully deserihod; illustrated in the 2l('(l)ll||lilll Vlll1' drawings and pointed. out in the elaini heroto appended, it heinf: uu'derslood that \'arious changes in the. form, proportion, size and minor details of eonstl'iu-tion within the scope of the elaim may he resorted to Without departing from the spirit or sacrh fieing any of the advantages of the. invention. i

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of :1V motor vehicle showin the applieation of my in renlion.

Fig. 2 is a top plan view thereof, the body being removed and the chassis being shown in dotted lines,

Fig. 3 is an enlarged longitudinal sectional view taken on the line 3-45 of Fig. 2, and

Fig. 4 is a vertical, transverse sectional view taken. on'the line 4--4 of Fig. 3.

Like reference numerals designate eorrespending parts in all the figures of the drawings. 7

Referring to the drawings, A designates the rhassis of a motor vehiele whieh includes the usual troutand rear axles o and (3 respeetively, the t'ront axle inrluding the usualspindles 5"5 which are arranged to he simultaneously turned hy anysteering' nit-elk anism (not shown).

My invention comprises a plurality of shoes ll. llaeh shoe consists of a longitudinal Frame 7 0t inderted channel iron \\'lll('l1 includes spaced side walls S---S and a top 1), the side walls n'ojecting beyond the ends and above the top. Formed in the side, walls 8 at one side of each shoe are inwardly extending slots 10--10, and slidaloly inounted in these slots are hearings ll whieh support a transverse axle 12 A p ate 13 is seeured lo the ends of the 'walls 8 and a tensioning' serew 14 having its inner end engagged in the hearing 11 operates in the plate 13 to adjust the position of the axle 12. lhe side walls 8 of ich shoe support at the. other end an axle 15, and .loose npon the axles l2 and 15 are sproi-ket wheels 16 and 17 respeetively. A serie F transverse axles 18 are supported by the side walls 8 of each shoe. and these axles are disposed in spaced relation throughout the length of the shoe. Loosely mounted on each axle is an idler sproi'het wheel if) the teeth thereof projeetingl below the lower edge of the side walls 9. enlrally seeured upon the. top 9 of eaeh shoe is a hearing 20 whieh is formed with a pair of spared upstanding perforated ears Jl ZI 'lor reeeiring a respective spindle of either the front or rear axle as the ease may he. and rear axles and (l, and arrangeil intermediate a res 'uietire, pair of ears 21 is av sprocket wheel 22-. A sproeket ehaxin 23 is provided For eaeh shoe, and this ehain is trained around the sproe-het wheels 1f), 17, E29 and idlers 19.

The rear shoes B are eonneeted hy spaced transverse nielnhers 24-.24, and these rear shoes and men'ihers eoujointly form a rear ioh.

In order to drive the. sproelcet chains 23- ot the rear bola there is fixed on the axle 6 aloeveled gear 25 whieh is in mesh with a similar gear 26 fixed to the rear end of the shaft 27, said shaft being suitably driven by the usual explosive engine.

In operation, motion will he transmitted. from the shaft 27 to the rear axle 6 and thence through the sprocket Wheels 22 to the chains 23; It will he ohservcd'that by Fixed upon aeh spindle of both front means of the pivotal connection between the shoes and the axle the vehicle will readily travel over uneven surfaces.

Every other link of each sprocket chain 23 is formed with an outwardly projecting cross bar 29, and each cross bar supports a ground roller 30 ofrubber or other suitable material. It will be observed in this connection that the rollers 30 operate below the shoes and consequently support said shoes above the ground to insure a sufiicient traction of said rollers.

What is claimed is In a device of the class described, a pair of spaced vertical walls and an overlying horizontal web longitudinally connecting said walls to form a frame, the ends of said walls being extended beyond and above the extremities of the web, a plurality of sprockets'mounted in longitudinal alinement between said walls below the web, a pair of sprockets mounted in the extended ortions of the walls so as to lie partiall a ove the level of the web, means for a justing the sprocket in one of the extended portions, a bearing mounted upon said web, a sprocket mounted in the bearing, and an endless chain tractor element mounted upon all of said sprockets.

In testimony whereof, .I aflix mysignature, 30

in the presence of two witnesses.

JAY E. NOBLE.

Witnesses:

ALBERT E. PHILLIPS, ELMER A.-PmLLIPs. 

